Mission of the Pink Sneakers
by mybrowneyes
Summary: Ranger takes some time off Rangeman to go school shopping.  A Babe Squad Challenge response.
1. Chapter 1

Only borrowing JE's characters. This is from the Babe Squad Challenge.

_**Mission of the Pink Sneakers**_

"It's OK, Daddy, we tried," Alisa Manoso had her head bowed in dejection. "I guess it wasn't meant for me to have those pink sneakers with the sparkle laces. I'll get a regular pair tomorrow. We didn't meet the objective, Daddy."

Ranger's heart tugged in his chest glancing at his wife. Their little girl had her little heart set on these pink canvas high top sneakers with pink, blue, and silver threaded shoe laces for First Grade. He took the afternoon off from Rangeman to go _**school **_shopping with Stephanie and Alisa. The three of them went to Macy's and all the other department stores at Quakerbridge Mall. They perused every pair of sneakers in every shoe store there, but no one had those special pink _**gym**_ shoes. Alisa picked out _**school supplies **_such as pencils to write her name, crayons and glue sticks for _**art **_class, and a _**chalkboard **_to hang up in her room so she could do her _**homework. **_Ranger insisted his daughter selected the biggest box of crayons to be prepared for all the coloring she would do in First Grade.

Hearing those words, Ranger stopped in his tracks standing up straight in the parking lot. "We, Alisa Grace Manoso, need to regroup and make a plan. Let's get some fortification in our weary bodies so we can think clearly."

"On to Pino's!" his little girl marched holding her father's free hand. In the other were shopping bags of new clothes for school.

Stephanie got into step beside her husband and daughter.

"We are Manosos and we never give in, Lissie," he said to his Babes.

Coming back to the new Rangeman building, the mission plan began. The security guru bought the small six floor office building next door shortly after he and Stephanie were married. There was a skywalk of bullet proof glass from the fifth floor of the new building to the old building. Alisa practiced with her roller skates in it most of the time. Stephanie, Ranger, and their little girl occupied the top two floors in the second building with a roof top terrace garden. Tank lived in the seventh floor apartment. Lula and he were no longer seeing each other; she had gone to visit her sister with a broken leg and ran into Mortimer from high school. They picked up where they left it in 10th grade _**English**_, _**Math**_, _**Science**_, and _**Social Studies**_, so he was available again. Bobby and Lester were dating Zumba instructors and lived in bigger apartments below the Manosos. The ground separating the two buildings had all the top-of-the-line play equipment for Lissie and her friends she made in new loft apartments down the block in an old remodeled office building.

Stephanie searched the internet for the elusive pink shoes while Ranger and Alisa marked the coordinates of the stores or shopping malls on the map taped to his office wall which carried that particular pink sneaker. After a few phone calls, Stephanie located the pink high top sneakers in her daughter's size more than an hour's drive in a Lancaster outlet mall. That Cuban voice must have intimidated the salesclerk to hold a pair for them until the next day.

"After my meeting tomorrow, Lissie, we'll go get those pink shoes."

Her big blue eyes were wide under her brunette curls. "But, Daddy, you took off today to go shopping."

"I'm the Boss," he said lofting her above his head, "and, this mission isn't complete until you have those pink sneakers with sparkle laces. No matter if I have to drive through three states or three counties in blistering summer heat, those shoes are ours!"

Lissie was laughing down at her Dad. "The car has air conditioning, Daddy."

"It's hot outside, but we can be comfortable."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stephanie watched from her perch on a stool in the conference room as the morning meeting was coming to an end. Alisa was sitting in the chair next to her father as he stood listening to the updates. He was going to miss her there when _**classes **_began in two weeks.

"Be back later, Tank. The Manoso family has an undertaking today," Ranger told his friend who had been in a funk since Lula hooked up with Mortie again.

Lissie added, "No phones unless it's an invasion."

The room laughed, but every Rangeman knew not to bother Ranger unless the building was under attack, being bombed, and large mutant ants were clawing at the front door, in that order, when he was with the loves of his life.

The garage door was going up to start their road trip for pink sneakers. "What do Rangers say, Lissie?" her father asked from behind the black Range Rover wheel just like the one his daughter saw on an 'Animal Planet' program and he had to buy it for Stephanie equipped with bullet proof glass and side panels. He wanted his Babes to be safe.

"Rangers lead the way, Daddy, to pink sneakers!"

Mr. Organization has it timed precisely. As they were walking through the outlet mall, a salesclerk was unlocking the doors to open up. He saw the determined muscular man walking with his wife and daughter approaching and went running for the counter. He placed a box on top of it and pulled out the prized pink high top sneakers with pink and blue sparkle laces. He stepped back one he did that.

"Daddy, there they are! My sneakers! Aren't they the most fabulous shoes you ever saw," Alisa reached for one and was admiring it in her hands.

"My little girl is more beautiful and will make those sneakers special every time she wears them, Lissie," he told her kneeling looking over the pink shoes.

Stephanie indicated for her daughter to sit down on the bench. "Let's try these on to make sure they fit."

The little Manoso girl tied her shoes herself and walked down the aisle trying them out. The proud parents watched her steps as if they were the first even in those hot pink high tops. Next, Lissie was running back and Ranger scooped her up in his arms.

"Thank you, Daddy. I love you."

"I love you, Lissie."

Before handing over the magic black credit card, Ranger asked the salesclerk for the next size up in case there was a growth spurt. And, his little girl had to have the pink _**backpack **_with sparkle straps to match those 'special' shoes.

"I know how Dorothy felt in her red shoes," Alisa told her parents walking out of the shoe store wearing her new purchase. She stopped holding out her small hands which Ranger took one in his and Stephanie had the other.

Lissie shook the locked hands. "Mission accomplished, Daddy. Mission accomplished, Mommy."

"Mission accomplished, Lissie," Ranger smiled at his wife and daughter.

Walking to the SUV, big blue eyes were twinkling. "Daddy, I think for Halloween I want to be a pink ballerina."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Mission of the Pink Sneakers**_

_**Part 2**_

"Daddy, there's a pet store!" Alisa let out as Ranger directed the Ranger Rover in the path to leave the outlet mall. Their mission was a success so now he was going to enjoy the morning and afternoon with his two Babes, but his little girl had another idea.

Stephanie gave her husband a full attention glare waiting to see how he responded.

Not only did the Manosos still have Rex, the 'immortal' hamster, but Alisa acquired a turtle named Myrtle on one trip and on another, Herman the Hermit crab. Of course, Ranger had to choose the biggest one and once he made himself comfortable in his new habitat, Herman escaped spending over a week exploring who knows what. Luis found him riding the elevator in the 'old' Rangeman building. It's why there is a brick on top of his plastic cage now.

"Herman needs more coconut strips. You tell me to eat my fruit and veggies, Daddy. He needs his, too!"

"Babe," Ranger said to Stephanie turning the SUV towards 'Wally's Pet Zoo', "the crab needs fruit."

She rolled her eyes at him. Sighing, Stephanie Manoso wondered what type of animal they would come home with this time. Before Alisa started kindergarten, she insisted on buying Ranger a Beta for his office so he wasn't lonely when she began school. There was a small desk in the corner of his office for coloring and drawing which she occupied when he was at his. Ranger pretended to be reading a file or working on paperwork, but Stephanie would catch him sitting there watching their daughter with a gentle smile on his handsome face. Benny Beta is a midnight blue fancy fish who dressed like her Daddy, that's why the fish was there. He proudly swims in the clear jar on her husband's desk.

The problem was Ranger couldn't say 'No' to Alisa when they were shopping, not that he ever said the word to Stephanie when she was shopping. It's why she has her own walk-in closet with a section for only Victoria's Secret purchases on a revolving carousel.

He happily unbuckled the booster seat he buckled moments ago giving Stephanie a very sexy "Babe" with a laugh from the evil eyes she was giving her husband.

"No more animals," she told father and daughter but both of them giving her big sad eyes and a Cuban induced orgasm later tonight would be all it would take, and the 'Burg' girl would not remember ever uttering the words.

Lissie dragged her father and mother to the aquatic area with rows of aquariums and fish in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Stephanie held her breath when Ranger and Alisa were gazing into a tank with a small shark, thankfully they moved on to the fire belly frogs.

"Look, Babe, fruit salad treats for hermit crabs!"

There was a smart ass grin, "You going to try them?"

Lissie was searching in the extra shells finding a large round snail shaped shell with a painted pink flower on it. "Herman can match my pink sneakers."

It went into the shoppin basket Stephanie was carrying.

Ranger called out, "Babe, Myrtle can have turtle treats with sun-dried shrimp."

"You going to taste test those?"

"Babe!" He nipped her ear while the container was dropped in the basket.

"Daddy, come here!" Lissie called out.

Ranger and Stephanie looked around not seeing their daughter and he rushed in the direction of her voice, and then her laughter.

She was in the corner past the fish and reptiles where there were cages of cats and kittens.

"Look, Daddy!"

A saleswoman was beside her petting a cat in an upper cage listening to the little girl.

"I have a hamster, fish, turtle, and hermit crab."

"You have a zoo! I'm Karalee," the African American woman introduced herself, "and I work at 'The Second Chance Animal Shelter'. The owner permits us to show some of our homeless cats here so they can find a home."

"It's nice to meet you," Lissie said holding out a hand. "I'm Alisa Grace Manoso. I'm going to first grade."

Karalee shook her small hand. "My, what pretty shoes you have on."

"Daddy drove all the way from Trenton to get these for me."

"He must love you a whole bunch to do that."

Ranger picked up his daughter, "I do."

"What's wrong with them?" the small girl asked pointing to two scrawny beige cats huddle together in the back of a cage.

"Those two girls were found in an old barn. They are Siamese cats. Our vet checked them out and they are healthy but a little underweight. They're scared because of all they have been through. We don't know why they were alone, but hope someone will adopt the sisters together."

"They're just like the cats on a cartoon I watch sometimes. Come here, Pretty Girls," Lissie softly called to the beige and black faced animals. She wiggled two small fingers between the wires to encourage them to come closer.

"Meow'" the smaller cat with a black ear let out. She sat there a second and eased over to the front followed apprehensively by her sister.

"I think they were kept indoors and must have gotten out somehow, but no one has claimed them. They use a litter box and will play at with each other," the shelter worker explained.

Stephanie saw the pattern. Alisa was giving her father big blue eyes. "Look, Daddy, they have blue eyes like me."

"Uh huh," Ranger agreed. The Bad Ass Cuban was turning into a mush monster with each bat of their daughter's long eyelashes. She was reeling him in.

"I like this one, Daddy. If she was my kitty, I'd name her 'Chopsticks' or 'Sticks' for short."

"You would? What about her sister?" Ranger inquired as one of his fingers was rubbing the other Siamese cat.

"Pagoda, Daddy." Lissie stretched herself up and whispered in her father's ear.

"You think?"

Lissie nodded with little innocent nods and wide eyes. "They would be together. Karalee, we'll take them."

"We will?" Stephanie shrieked a little. She expected one, but not both.

"Mommy, they are sisters. We can't separate them," her daughter told her with the cutest pout and quivering lip causing her mother to melt. "Daddy and me have a plan."

"Yeah, Babe, we have a plan. _**Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of a joy you must have somebody to divide it with.**_"

"Huh?" Ranger's wife was lost somewhere along the way. She hated when Ranger pulled his cryptic quotes out of his ass and would wait for him to explain. "Well, if you have a plan," Stephanie said to her husband and daughter throwing her hands in the air.

_**XXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"I'd say those are some special shoes you got there, Lissie," Tank said admiring the pink high top sneaker with sparkle laces on her feet. He was glad for the break in paperwork; since he and Lula weren't together anymore he had tons of extra time to do more.

"Yup, mission accomplished, Uncle Tank, and I see no invasions happened while we were gone," the little female Manoso said with a big teasing smile and deliberate nod of her chin.

"All secure."

"Close your eyes, Uncle Tank," Lissie instructed, "we have a surprise for you."

The big man closed his brown eyes and opened one up, "Only for you."

"Keep them closed until I tell you." She went running past her parents into the hallway and back in with the sister of Chopsticks in her arms wearing a shiny yellow collar. She gently placed the cat in Tank's lap. "Open them."

His eyes went to the Siamese cat on his legs.

"Pagoda is for you so you're not lonely upstairs. To share your joy with," a smiling Alisa told her father's best friend. "Isn't she pretty?"

"You got me a cat?" he didn't know what to say. The blue eyed cat was rubbing her ears on his black T-shirt. He watched the pink sneakers run out coming back with a twin cat with a pink collar.

"We couldn't separate Chopsticks and Pagoda, Uncle Tank. They will be able to see each other and play together. Don't you like her?" Those big blue eyes were watching him.

"I love her," Tank said softly rubbing his chin on his cat's head. "Thank you, Lissie."

Ranger walked out into the hallway coming back in with a carpet covered cat post. "Think of it as a belated house warming present," Ranger smirked.

"Oh, here, Uncle Tank." Lissie pulled a business card out of her shorts pocket lying it on his desk. "Karalee said if you have any questions about Siamese cats to call her. She runs the shelter." With Chopsticks purring in her arms, Alisa was following her parents out of the office. "Oh, and she thinks your cute," she said going out the office door.

"Wow, Daddy," Lissie said walking across the skywalk, "what a mission! We met our objective locating my pink sneakers, got a cat for me and Uncle Tank, and I think we got him a date."

"It was a big success, Princess."

"Boy, I can't wait until our next one to find my pink ballerina costume for Halloween. I always wanted a pony."

_**The End.**_


End file.
